mnw@trwrba.UUCP (Michael N. Washington) (05/22/84)
All who read the novelization of The Wrath of Khan know that Saavik could not possibly be an offspring of Spock's. She is characterized as a half Vulcan/half Romulan. The book goes into some detail as to how this came about. Anyone toying with the idea that Saavik is Spock's child from the episode where the Romulan cloaking device was the target, should definitely read the book. If she was Spock's child, she would be part Vulcan/Human/ Romulan which is definitely not mentioned in the book. Read and then conclude! Michael N. Washington TRW E&DS, Redondo Beach, Ca. Path:trwrba!mnw
martillo@ihuxt.UUCP (Yehoyaqim Martillo) (05/23/84)
Sarek clearly intended that Spock should be raised, live, and marry in
Vulcan culture. Probably some special genetic engineering was performed
to guarantee he would be fertile with Vulcans. This engineering would
probably mask many of his human characteristics, so that a Romulan
scientist studying the mating between Spock and the Romulan commander
might assume the child was a Vulcan/Romulan fusion rather than a
Vulcan/Romulan/Human fusion. The scientist would probably also assume
since the pregnancy took place without medical intervention that the
mating was between two very genetically similar individuals like Vulcans
and Romulans. In none of the episodes did Romulans show any awareness of
Spock's mixed heritage. Also Romulans showed no awareness that that such
Human/Vulcan fusions would be possible.
--
Yehoyaqim Shemtob Martillo
(An Equal Opportunity Offender)mnw@trwrba.UUCP (05/25/84)
Your statement is well taken. However, one of the episodes did make a
reference to Spock's human half. The episode where Spock's blood was needed
to save his father's life, McCoy had to separate out the human blood factors
present in Spock's blood. Nowhere is it ever mentioned (as far as I have
ever heard or read) that Sarek had some genetic engineering performed on
Spock to make him more likely to accept the Vulcan's way of life. You
cannot arbitrarily assume that Spock was genetically altered. Logically
you may argue that Sarek would have considered genetic engineering since
he intended to stay on Vulcan, but you could also argue that it would not
be the logical thing to do. There would be no reason to do it assuming
that Humans and Vulcans could produce a child.
The Romulans may have assumed that Spock was a full Vulcan, but when the
Federation ships rescued the children from the planet that the Romulans
abandoned, all would have been medically examined. If Saavik was a child
of Spock's, some of the human characteristics would have been present.
Federation doctors are very thorough in medical checkouts (assumed from
the TV episodes).
Michael N. Washington
TRW E&DS Redondo Beach, Calif. 90278
{ucbvax,decvax,hplabs}trwrba!mnwmartillo@ihuxt.UUCP (Yehoyaqim Martillo) (05/26/84)
Given all the differences between Humans and Vulcans (e.g. no Vulcans do not have NaCl in their body) I suspect that without specific genetic engineering, Amanda would have had a son by a terrestial ear of corn sooner than she could have by Sarek.